Accra: PharmAccess Ghana and the Healthcare Federation of Ghana (HFG) have signed a licensing agreement that grants HFG access to the globally recognised SafeCare Quality Improvement Programme. This marks a milestone in Ghana's drive towards high-standard private healthcare delivery.
According to Ghana News Agency, the agreement, signed in Accra, positions HFG among the first to implement Version 5 of the SafeCare standards, accredited by the International Society for Quality in Healthcare (ISQua). This is the latest version of the programme and is expected to accelerate healthcare quality improvements across the country's vast private sector.
Dr Maxwell Antwi, Country Director of PharmAccess Ghana, described the signing as a bold initiative to transform healthcare in the private sector, which currently accounts for more than 70 per cent of Ghana's healthcare facilities and serves more than 60 per cent of the population. 'PharmAccess is a development organisation focused on unlocking the power of connectivity and data to strengthen inclusive health markets,' he said. 'SafeCare, a sister foundation, is central to that mission. It supports better healthcare, healthier lives and greater human potential.'
Dr Antwi noted that SafeCare was operational in 27 countries, with 34 partners and over 9,500 facilities, having conducted more than 8,500 digital quality assessments. It has trained nearly 1,000 internationally certified assessors and has demonstrated measurable quality improvements in over 70 per cent of participating facilities, serving close to 100 million patients annually.
Earlier this year, Ghana's Ministry of Health adopted SafeCare as a national quality standard. The Health Facilities Regulatory Agency (HeFRA) has also endorsed it as a benchmark for accreditation. Citing World Health Organisation (WHO) data, Dr Antwi warned that between 5.7 and 8.4 million deaths occur annually in low- and middle-income countries due to poor quality healthcare-more than deaths from lack of access. 'Poor quality care kills twice as many people as COVID-19 did at its peak,' he said. 'Sixty per cent of deaths from treatable conditions occur in facilities where patients already sought care. These facilities fail, not because patients didn't show up, but because care was ineffective.'
He urged healthcare providers to treat quality as both an ethical duty and a strategic necessity-key to building trust, increasing patient utilisation, reducing errors, cutting costs and attracting investment. Mr Charles Fordjour, President of the Healthcare Federation of Ghana, welcomed the agreement as a game-changing move for private providers. 'Today is a landmark in our journey to build a quality-driven healthcare system,' he said. 'Healthcare is wealth-and it must drive our economy. We are committed to ensuring every Ghanaian has access to quality healthcare.'
Mr Fordjour noted that the new partnership would empower HFG to train assessors and certify member facilities under global standards. 'Wherever you see the SafeCare logo, it means that facility delivers healthcare comparable to the best in the world,' he said. He also expressed confidence that the initiative would help stem outbound medical tourism and position Ghana as a destination for high-quality healthcare within West Africa.
Dr Linda Deka, President-Elect of the West African Federation of Private Health Sector (FOASPS), described the agreement as deeply personal and significant. She said many clients may not immediately see the cost of quality, but over time it reflected in trust, loyalty and better outcomes. She expressed optimism that SafeCare could be rolled out in at least two or three additional West African countries within the next two years.
From a provider's perspective, Dr Irene Adorkor Wulff, Chief Executive Officer of FOCOS Orthopaedic Hospital, expressed strong support for the programme. 'From our founding in 2011, quality has been our hallmark. We're outcomes-oriented. Our patients return not because their problems weren't solved, but because they trust us,' she said. She disclosed that FOCOS was working toward Joint Commission International (JCI) accreditation. 'Yes, it's expensive. You need to upgrade infrastructure, re-train staff, and enforce strict protocols. But it's worth it. Patients stay because they get exactly what they want, how they want it. That is quality healthcare,' she emphasised.
Ms Bonafasia Agyei, Country Director for SafeCare at PharmAccess Ghana, described the signing as a historic milestone that completes the triangle of SafeCare integration across Ghana's health system-faith-based, public, and now private sectors. 'SafeCare is not just about clinical care,' she explained. 'It's about overall efficiency, operational risk reduction, business sustainability and patient experience.' Ms Agyei said in just two years, the programme makes facilities more efficient and attractive to investors. She announced plans to train assessors from HFG to lead digital assessments and support facilities through continuous quality improvement.
Also present at the ceremony were Dr Joseph Boguifo, President of FOASPS; Ms Njide Ndili, Country Director of PharmAccess Nigeria and President of the Healthcare Federation of Nigeria; and other high-level dignitaries. With this agreement, stakeholders said Ghana's healthcare system is poised to set a new benchmark for service delivery in West Africa-underpinned by globally recognised standards, digital tools and a unified national vision for quality care.
